The news hit a lot of people hard Tuesday afternoon. Country music legend Dolly Parton passed away. She was 80. Few if any had anything bad to say about the icon, from her rich discography, charity work, and downhome nature that could even warm the hearts of curmudgeons everywhere. There is no direct link between the Flyers and Dolly Parton aside from the fact her 1984 film Rhinestone was directed by Bob Clarke. No, not that Bob Clarke, another guy named Bob Clarke.
On a personal note, this writer had one person (and one person only) ever start an interview by saying, “Thank you!” for taking the time to interview them. That person was Dolly Parton. To celebrate the late singer, we here at BroadStreetHockey are going to take one Dolly Parton song that is most suitable or best describes each Philadelphia Flyer.
Goalies
Dan Vladar — “I Can” (from Just The Two Of Us, 1968)
Dan Vladar proved he can stop the puck more often than not, and make key saves when the game is on the line, and it’s crunch time. With 29 wins regular season wins, and four more in the playoffs, Vladar is looking to improve on last year’s fantastic first impression. “And I can take December and turn it into June,” one of the lyrics in the song Parton performed with Porter Wagoner goes. We’re hoping he can at least get back into May and go from there.
Joseph Woll — “He’s A Go-Getter” (from In The Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad), 1969)
Coming into a new situation, goaltender Joseph Woll is looking to start things off on the right foot as the primarily backup to Vladar. So what better tune to describe Woll than this one, another early song from the then young and impressionable Parton. Of course, the lyrics talk about a husband who isn’t ambitious, but waits for his wife to leave work so he can go and get her after doing nothing around the house. We’ll look at Woll as the ambitious sort!
Defenseman
Travis Sanheim — “9 To 5” (from 9 To 5 And Odd Jobs, 1980)
Sanheim hopefully doesn’t stumble out of bed and give himself a high ankle sprain. But Sanheim’s workman-like approach to his position and his style of play has earned him not just respect in the Philadelphia locker room, but around the league. Eating a lot of minutes, doing it incredibly well, and tossing in the odd offensive rush, Sanheim is definitely making a living taking away offensive chances, and rarely giving away the puck.
Rasmus Ristolainen — “I’m Wasting Your Time And You’re Wasting Mine” (from Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca, 1970)
We’re not sure if Rasmus Ristolainen should be in the lineup when he’s on the final year of a deal and should be trade bait far more than a part of the top six defensive corps. Ristolainen puts the effort in night after night, and should be commended for that. However, the bigger picture will see Ristolainen with a new club this time next year. So why not just make the trade before a nagging or season-ending injury negates any return in a trade. Nothing against the big defender, but the time is now to see him elsewhere.
David Jiricek — “The Bargain Store” (from The Bargain Store, 1975)
This song had some controversy on its release as a lyric was inferred by some country radio stations as a reference to prostitution. It wasn’t, just a misheard line. Regardless, David Jiricek’s acquisition wasn’t for free. But the loss of Bobby Brink to get a chance at a former first-rounder and get him back on track was too tempting to pass on. The downside is if Jiricek isn’t great at camp, the Flyers run the risk of losing him for pennies as he’s no longer waiver-exempt. In order to get to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, he has to pass through waivers. And there’s bound to be some other team only to eager to see if they can help hone his game.
Nick Seeler — “Fight And Scratch” (from Once More, 1970)
Now that Garnet Hathaway is in Florida, and Nic Deslauriers is a Cup champion in Carolina, Nick Seeler is probably the tough guy in the Flyers lineup. So, this song about a couple comically not seeing eye to eye on most things, might be the best description of Seeler’s approach to every shift. Nothing is given away, you have to earn it against him. And he’s not afraid to drop the gloves if the situation arises. He can fight, and given the Flyers depth, it looks like he won’t be a healthy scratch at any point in 2026-27.
Cam York — “Here You Come Again” (from Here You Come Again, 1977)
This tune was one of Parton’s staples live throughout many tours, and was also one of her first crossover hits from country into the pop realm. Cam York might still be getting free beers for his overtime goal in Game 6 against Pittsburgh, but he’s going to enter this season again looking to improve on what was a pretty good season. Although it looks like Jamie Drysdale is preparing to become the team’s third-best blueliner, York should be able to provide quality minutes. And the odd important goal.
Jamie Drysdale — “When Possession Gets Too Strong” (from The Fairest Of Them All, 1970)
There’s a confidence emerging in Drysdale that perhaps Flyers general manager Danny Briere might have been hoping for when he made the trade with Anaheim in early 2024. Drysdale was cited by Rick Tocchet recently for taking a huge step forward in his play, looking far more steady and sure about what he was doing, and knowing exactly when to do it. Drysdale might take the next leap forward and start becoming a bit more of an offensive threat, rushing up the ice and possessing the puck to draw defenders in, leaving someone open. At least that’s the hope. Drysdale is getting stronger, and that seems to be a good omen moving forward.
Simon Benoit — “The Little Things” (from Hello, I’m Dolly, 1967)
He’s not going to be a saviour. If he’s a step up from Noah Juulsen, then defenseman Simon Benoit will have done his job. Philadelphia’s seventh defenseman it appears heading into training camp, Benoit likes to use his size to knock people off the puck and their skates. He’s hard to play against, and that’s the wish Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet and the coaching staff have for the former Leafs blueliner. If Benoit does the basics and keeps things very simple, then he shouldn’t be a huge liability in his own zone. He’ll have limited ice time barring injuries. So it’s critical he does the little things right more often than not.
Forwards
Noah Cates — “Coat Of Many Colors” (from Coat Of Many Colors, 1971)
Noah Cates can kill penalties, play with strong linemates like Matvei Michkov, take faceoffs, and generally be one of Philadelphia’s more consistent two-way players. Cates’ game is stitched together by all of these qualities and a very strong work ethic. He’s slowly but surely turning into one of the team’s unsung heroes, and a leader on the ice most nights. Cates’ game isn’t necessarily patchwork. But it is the type of game that a lot of coaches and general managers have a lot of time for. Here’s hoping that continues into this season.
Trevor Zegras — “Light Of A Clear Blue Morning” (from New Harvest….First Gathering, 1977)
Zegras got a fresh start with the Flyers last year and didn’t disappoint. So, with a new contract extension in his back pocket, and getting quite comfortable with his new club, it looks like the future is bright for the forward. Zegras can see that he’s got a lot of runway and potential with Philadelphia, and it’s quite clear that the team needs him as much as he needs them.
Denver Barkey — “Little Sparrow” (from Little Sparrow, 2001)
Dolly Parton released a handful of stellar bluegrass-tinged albums at the beginning of the millennium, and this song was one of the best from them. A little sparrow is a “precious fragile little thing” that “flies so high and feels no pain” according to the song. And Barkey seems to fit that model to a tee. He’s not fragile, and can go into the corners and win one-on-one battles with positioning, but he’s not the biggest guy around. Barkey looks to be a key piece of the Flyers season this year. And we’re hoping he’s darting around the net when not driving opponents mad with his tenacious approach.
Sean Couturier — “The Fire’s Still Burning” (from Joshua, 1971)
If you’re counting, that now five different studio albums Dolly Parton released in 1970 and 1971. This song seems to epitomize Couturier perfectly. He’s getting longer in the tooth, and most were looking at him in a possible buyout situation in a season or two. However, the change in Couturier’s game was night and day once he found himself on the fourth line. Everything clicked. He looked dominating, and looked more physical than arguably at any point in his career. If this is what it takes to squeeze a bit more out of Couturier, than nobody should be complaining. There still seems to be more gas in the tank than some expected in putting him on the fourth line. Ideally, that fire is still burning well into the season and playoffs.
Tyson Foerster — “Shine” (from Little Sparrow, 2001)
We know, this isn’t her song. She covered the Collective Soul signature back in 2001. But like Johnny Cash did with his rendition of “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails, Parton made this beefy rocker a delightful little bluegrass nugget to call her own. And she won a Grammy for it! Tyson Foerster is looking to shine this season also, putting the nearly season-ending injury behind him. He didn’t look completely out of sorts on his return. But his conditioning seemed to have him hit a wall the longer he played. Foerster should be one of the bright spots this year, and should be eager to eclipse the 10 goals he had by early December.
Nikita Grebenkin — “Time For Me To Fly” (from White Limozeen, 1989)
Grebenkin is similar in some respects to Foerster, minus the sniper’s talent. Grebenkin had a hard season that ended with an injury that took some time to resolve. He sounds like he’s eager to get back in the swing of things and prove that he belongs somewhere in the middle six or bottom six of forwards. It is becoming more important for Grebenkin to show what he can do despite being on the youngish side of things. With the pipeline looking a bit brighter, and some prospects getting closer to making the club than before, it’s vital Grebenkin proves that he belongs with the Flyers both now and down the road.
Owen Tippett — “Bubbling Over” (from Bubbling Over, 1973)
We’ve seen what he can do when he puts it all together. He can change the game in one shift. He can create something out of nothing, blow by the defense, rifle the puck just under the crossbar, and celebrate a highlight reel goal. Owen Tippett showed another side to himself last year. And it appears that he might finally break through that glass ceiling, cracking the 30-goal or 35-goal mark for the first time. All that talent looks like it just might bubble over into a career season. And it couldn’t come at a better time.
Travis Konecny — “I’ve Been This Way Too Long” (from The Right Combination/Burning The Midnight Oil, 1972)
Konecny isn’t bad. He’s a point-getter, and was at the top of the hill among Flyers in that category last year. But it just seems Konecny will always be stuck in that high 60-point range, never nearing a point-per-game pace that most people were hoping for by now. Konecny should hopefully put up similar numbers this year. If he regresses, then that puts a huge question mark in terms of whether he’s part of this puzzle moving forward. He knows what’s expected of him. In an ideal world, he breaks out of that 70-point ballpark and heads for a Top 25 ranking when it comes to league leaders in points.
Alex Bump — “Please Don’t Stop Loving Me” (from Porter n’ Dolly, 1974)
When he arrived, Bump made an impression. Not to the degree of Denver Barkey, but he made his mark in the roughly 20 games he had at the professional level prior to the playoffs. Bump now has to build on that level of play, and has to show that he will be a clutch player on a team where Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov are looking to make mincemeat out of the opposition. Clearly, the song is about not wanting to be put on the proverbial back burner when something (or somebody) else comes along. And Bump needs to know that he’ll have to do his part in order to stay in the lineup. As strong as he played to remain in the lineup, he could also play himself out of it with poor decision-making.
Christan Dvorak — “The Golden Streets Of Glory” (from The Golden Streets Of Glory, 1971)
Christian Dvorak made the most of his initial season with Philadelphia. And he now has plenty of gold (well, cash) to line his driveway thanks to the five-year, $25.75 million extension. Dvorak’s extension rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, given he turns 31 this coming February and might be on the downside of his career despite a career high in points in 2025-26. Should he keep contributing 50 points a season while doing all he can down the middle, then it might end up being money well spent by Briere. For now, Dvorak is looking for more of the same, with a bit more glory with a deep playoff run.
Noel Acciari — “I Believe In You” (from I Believe In You, 2017)
Parton’s first children’s album was her forty-sixth studio effort. And the title track off that album should be the message center Noel Acciari is getting from the Flyers. A two-year contract for Acciari should help take some of the pressure off Sean Couturier while also providing the veteran center with another presence on the fourth line who can score a bit, check a bit, and do all the basics quite nicely.
Matvei Michkov — “You’re Gonna Be Sorry” (from Just Because I’m A Woman, 1968)
After a dream season his rookie year, Matvei Michkov had his ups and downs. And a few more downs than ups. It started badly, and ended badly. Through it all he still got himself over the 50-point mark in his sophomore season. A full summer of training and conditioning looks like it has done wonders for his approach to 2026-27. And with that, he’s going to try to shut up everyone from Rick Tocchet on with a season that builds on year one and ups the ante. Everyone would love to see Michkov play with a chip on his shoulder, and keeping receipts from 2025-26.
Porter Martone — “I Will Always Love You” (from Jolene, 1974)
He hasn’t played 20 games yet. What he did in those 19 games made everyone fall in love with one Porter Martone. The comeback by Wisconsin to oust Michigan State in the NCAA Regionals was a blessing in disguise for Philadelphia. The game-winners, the moxie and the confidence Martone showed is hopefully the tip of the iceberg. If this is a sign of what’s on the horizon, then we will always love you, Porter Martone! Bank on it!
Coaching Staff
“Islands In The Stream” (from Dolly Parton’s Greatest Hits, 1982)
Parton’s duet with Kenny Rogers became a staple in the ’80s. And a signature tune the rest of the legend’s career. The quartet of Rick Tocchet, “Yogi” Svejkovsky, Todd Reirden, and Jay Varady are all islands of information and analytics onto themselves. Their goal is to let the players become better without getting in the way, much like, er, islands in the stream.
